Governor of Bangkok

The governor of Bangkok (Thai: ผู้ว่าราชการกรุงเทพมหานคร, RTGS: phu wa ratchakan krung thep maha nakhon) is the head of the local government of Bangkok. The governor is also the chief executive of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The governor is elected to a renewable term of four years, currently it is one of the two directly elected executive offices in the kingdom. The office is comparable to that of a city mayor.

Governor of Bangkok ผู้ว่าราชการ กรุงเทพมหานคร
Seal of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
Incumbent Chadchart Sittipunt since 22 May 2022
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
Reports to	Minister of Interior
Residence	Bangkok City Hall
Appointer	Direct election[a]
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	Chamnan Yaovabun
Formation	1 January 1973
Deputy	Deputy Governor of Bangkok
Salary	฿113,560 per month
Website	http://www.bangkok.go.th/

From 2016 to 2022 Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang acted as Governor of Bangkok.^[1] He was appointed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha using Section 44 of the interim charter to replace Sukhumbhand Paribatra. The reason given for his ouster was "...because he was involved in many legal cases."^[2]

The current incumbent is Chadchart Sittipunt. He was elected in a landslide victory in the 2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election, receiving 52.65 % (1.38 Million) of all votes cast, marking a new record-high, and winning in all 50 districts of Bangkok.^[3][4]

Powers and roles

The powers and role of the office of Governor of Bangkok in accordance with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act, BE 2528 (1985) (Thai: พระราชบัญญัติระเบียบบริหารราชการกรุงเทพมหานคร พ.ศ. 2528 are as follows:

• Formulate and implement policies for the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.
• Head the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
• Appoint and remove deputy governors, advisors, board members, city officials, and public servants.
• Coordinate and carry out the orders of the Cabinet of Thailand, the Prime Minister of Thailand, and the Ministry of Interior.
• Oversee the smooth running of the various agencies and services of the city.
• The governor is also invested with the same powers as any other governor of a province of Thailand and any other mayor.
• The power to draw up legislation and bills for the city, to be considered in the Bangkok Metropolitan Council.

History

Since 1973, the city was administered by a single executive appointed by the cabinet from city civil servants. However soon, it was determined that the executive office should a popularly elected office instead. The passage of the Bangkok Metropolis Administrative Organisation Act, BE 2518 (1975) (Thai: พระราชบัญญัติระเบียบบริหารราชการกรุงเทพมหานคร พ.ศ. 2518), created the Bangkok Metropolis to replace Bangkok Province and created an elected governor with a four-year term.

The first election for the office was held on the 10 August 1975. Thammanoon Thien-ngern was elected as the first Governor of Bangkok. Conflicts between the governor and the Bangkok Metropolitan Council, however, became so fierce that Thanin Kraivichien, the Prime Minister of Thailand removed him and reinstated the appointment system. Elections resumed with the passing of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act, BE 2528 (1985). Elections were held on 14 November 1985.

List of governors

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Party		Election
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Chamnan Yaovabun ชำนาญ ยุวบูรณ์ (1914–2015)	1 January 1973	22 October 1973	294 days		Independent	Appointed
2		At Visutyothaphiban อรรถ วิสูตรโยธาภิบาล (1915–2004)	1 November 1973	4 June 1974	215 days		Independent
3		Siri Santabutra ศิริ สันติบุตร (1912–2001)	5 June 1974	9 March 1975	278 days		Independent
4		Sai Hutacharoen สาย หุตะเจริญ	5 May 1975	9 August 1975	96 days		Independent
5		Thammanoon Thien-ngern ธรรมนูญ เทียนเงิน (1913–1989)	10 August 1975	29 April 1977	1 year, 253 days		Democrat	1975
6		Chalor Thammasiri ชลอ ธรรมศิริ (1927–2021)	29 April 1977	14 May 1979	2 years, 15 days		Independent	Appointed
7		Chaowat Sudlapa เชาวน์วัศ สุดลาภา (1933–2001)	4 July 1979	16 April 1981	1 year, 286 days		Independent
8		Thiem Mokaranont เทียม มกรานนท์	28 April 1981	1 November 1984	3 years, 187 days		Independent
9		Asa Meksavan อาษา เมฆสวรรค์ (born 1924)	6 November 1984	13 November 1985	1 year, 8 days		Independent
10		Chamlong Srimuang จำลอง ศรีเมือง (born 1935)	14 November 1985	22 January 1992	6 years, 69 days		Independent[b] (until 1988)	1985
							Palang Dharma (from 1988)	1990
11		Krisda Arunvongse na Ayudhya กฤษฎา อรุณวงษ์ ณ อยุธยา (1932–2010)	19 April 1992	18 April 1996	3 years, 365 days		Palang Dharma	1992
12		Bhichit Rattakul พิจิตต รัตตกุล (born 1946)	2 June 1996	1 June 2000	3 years, 365 days		Independent[c]	1996
13		Samak Sundaravej สมัคร สุนทรเวช (1935–2009)	23 July 2000	22 July 2004	3 years, 365 days		Thai Citizen (until 2001)	2000
							Independent (from 2001)
14		Apirak Kosayodhin อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน (born 1961)	29 August 2004	19 November 2008	4 years, 82 days		Democrat	2004
								2008
15		Mom Rajawongse Sukhumbhand Paribatra[5] หม่อมราชวงศ์สุขุมพันธุ์ บริพัตร (born 1952)	11 January 2009	18 October 2016	7 years, 281 days		Democrat	2009
								2013
16		Aswin Kwanmuang อัศวิน ขวัญเมือง (born 1951)	18 October 2016	24 March 2022	5 years, 157 days		Independent	Appointed
17		Chadchart Sittipunt ชัชชาติ สิทธิพันธุ์ (born 1966)	22 May 2022	Incumbent	3 years, 216 days		Independent	2022

• Unless otherwise indicated, they were elected.

Notes

1. Since 1975, sometimes are appointed by the Ministry of Interior or the military junta.
2. On behalf of the Ruam Palang Group in 1985 election.
3. On behalf of the Mot Ngan Group.